My Journey

​Written by Susan Miura, author of the young adult novel, Healer, released Jan. 31 from Vinspire Publishing. Susan is also the author of another young adult novel, Show Me a Sign, and a children’s book of animal poems, fun facts, and wildlife photos titled Pawprints in the Snow: How God Protects Animals from the Cold.

Is it hypocritical to write about a mission trip when you’ve never been on one? I hope not, because I sent two of my characters in Healer off to the Appalachians to repair a school. They’d been looking forward all spring to volunteering together, but by the time the bus pulled out of the church parking lot, they (small spoiler alert ahead) had been pulled apart by supernatural circumstances. The mission trip is one of my favorite parts of the book, though, because 1. It’s something I haven’t done but am excited about doing soon; 2. It involves a wild whitewater rafting ride that marks a turning point in the book; and 3. It’s probably the book’s heaviest concentration of action, drama, romance, blood, and emotion. The book, in general, is not bloody, but on the rafting trip…nevermind, that would definitely qualify as a spoiler. So what can I tell you about Healer? Here’s the synopsis: Hovering just below the surface of Shilo Giannelli’s average existence lays an amazing spiritual power. Late one night, her world erupts with the revelation that, like her great-grandmother, she has The Gift. But the power to heal isn’t something she can share with the soccer team, her genius little sister, or her boyfriend, Kenji.Definitely not Kenji.Deep beneath Misty Morning’s tough façade is a lifetime of abandonment, foster homes and broken dreams. When her two-year-old son is abused by her boyfriend, her fragile world shatters…until Shilo prays for Tyler and he is healed, leaving Misty grateful but incredibly curious.Shilo can’t give Misty the answers she needs; she only knows she has a God-given destiny, and despite facing strained relationships, impossible decisions, and the threat of being hounded day and night for her abilities, she will fulfill it.The journey Misty and Shilo take together unites them as friends but invites danger into their lives. And it will take a miracle for these unlikely friends to elude a gang bent on revenge, keep The Gift a secret, trust God in extraordinary circumstances, and hold on to the people they love.Healer is told from Shilo and Misty’s points of view in alternating chapters, but it isn’t Misty who goes on the ill-fated mission trip; it’s Kenji. Misty isn’t thinking about mission trips, she’s focusing on the faint light guiding her out of the shadowy tunnel she’s walked through for years. And as her scarred heart begins to heal, she becomes aware of a horrific crisis taking place worldwide, and wonders if she could be a hero to someone someday. Misty, like most of us, doesn’t possess the phenomenal power to heal. In fact, she doesn’t possess much of anything. She’s a single mom with no money, no family and a ton of baggage, but when it comes to helping others, she has the only thing necessary. Compassion. And with a little bit of that, any of us can do something, however small, to help fix this broken world.

What a great way to start the new year off! I just received the cover art for KenyaQuest, the third book in the International Mission Force series, and I love it. I can't wait to introduce my readers to Grace and Jessica and Erasto and Chinira. You might even recognize a familiar face from CzechMate and BoliviaKnight. Don't forget - if you let me know that you've posted a review and subscribed to my blog here, you'll receive the "inside scoop" on this character's travels from Prague to Bolivia to Kenya and more!

,I'm so excited to share some news about the International Mission Force series! Several exciting developments have taken place over recent months. First, a school in Australia which purchased 40 copies of CzechMate for use in one of their English classes has now purchased 44 copies of BoliviaKnight and an additional 5 copies of CzechMate in order to continue using the series in their classes. I have to admit, I'm just a little bit jealous that my books have made it "down under" before me, but I am in awe of our God who does so much more than I could imagine.

I'm also excited to share that volume 3, KenyaQuest, is with the publisher now, and I hope to have a release date for it soon. It should be early in 2018!

Finally, for those who are reading carefully, you may have noticed one character appears in both CzechMate AND BoliviaKnight. He plays a small, but pivotal, role in both, and you may have wondered, "How did he end up here?" I'm excited to say that I'm working on a series of short stories which follow his travels, but there is a catch! This special bonus material will ONLY be available as a gift for those who provide a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or Barnes and Noble and subscribe here!

Provide your email below to receive the first installment of Slane's Story. I'll never share your email and I promise not to send a ton of email!

This journey began many years ago when a teenage Army BRAT pulled out a spiral notebook and started jotting down imagined adventures that she and her friends had while exploring their short-term home in Taegu, South Korea. She dreamed up all sorts of trouble for them, from being kidnapped to discovering ancient treasures at a local monastery. The consistent theme for her adventures was loyalty, faith, and friendship. With just a dash of romance.

Those themes have remained central after all these years. In 2004, my oldest daughter and I traveled on our first international mission trip to Prague, Czech Republic. What an adventure we had! When we returned, my 12-year-old wanted to read any book we could find about missionaries, but soon tired of dusty biographies a century old. She wanted to know more about teenagers living on the mission field today, like the ones we met on our trip. CzechMate was borne from the dream of taking young readers on exciting adventures to exotic locations, teaching them about a new culture, and inspiring them to share the gospel wherever their adventures lead.

After many drafts and learning a great deal about writing - with still much more left to learn - CzechMate is now available on Amazon.Com, Barnes and Noble.com, KOBO, and Smashwords. The adventures will continue with volume 2: BoliviaKnight, which releases March 31, 2017.

Join me on this adventure! Share your stories by joining the International Mission Force!